Simon Dodd Email & Phone Number

Wellington, Nz

New Zealand

• E-commerce Entrepreneur: Launched Timeless Luxury NZ Ltd, an online platform specialising in the sale of luxury watches (Omega, Tag Heuer, Grand Seiko, Hamilton, Oris). Identified a market opportunity with a modest initial investment of under $1,000, generating over $100,000 in revenue within the first 12 months.• SEO & Marketing Strategy: Collaborated with professionals to optimise the website content using SEO strategies, driving brand awareness through targeted Google Ads campaigns. These efforts resulted in a steady growth, achieving over 3,500 online store sessions per month.• Operations & Vendor Management: Built strong relationships with vendors, ensuring smooth logistics, product authenticity, and efficient after-sales services such as repairs.• Currently diversifying into high-end women’s jewellery (Saint Laurent, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton) including bracelets, earrings, and necklaces.• Currently introducing a drop-shipping service to expand the product line being offered to clients, managing all aspects of marketing, logistics, and customer service, ensuring seamless product delivery and an elevated shopping experience.

Led the establishment of a project delivery framework and managed multiple high-impact initiatives, including a legislation project, operating model review, and organizational values project.Developed and implemented a comprehensive project delivery framework, ensuring structured execution and alignment with organizational goals.Defined project roles and responsibilities for stakeholders to streamline project management and accountability.Mentored and supported project stakeholders to enhance their capabilities and improve project outcomes.Created essential project artefacts, including the Project on a Page (POAP), project registers, and reporting templates.Collaborated with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to schedule and oversee the successful delivery of various projects.

Wellington, Wellington Region, New Zealand

Response Planner (CIMS) | Department of Corrections (Ara Poutama Aotearoa)Supported response planning during employment negotiations by preparing for potential industrial action.Developed contingency plans for scenarios including full labor withdrawal (strike), partial withdrawal, and system refusal, ensuring continuity of service delivery.Collaborated with other government agencies such as Health (Nurses), Fire Emergency New Zealand (FENZ), NZ Police, NZ Defense, and MPI to learn from their industrial action responses and create comprehensive response plans.Senior Project Manager | Department of Corrections (Ara Poutama Aotearoa)Led the Health and Safety Risk Management Framework project, delivering key safety initiatives.Drafted and secured approval for the Project on a Page (POAP), outlining the project’s objectives, scope, deliverables, phases, roles, and governance structure.Developed and approved the Project Management Plan (PMP) in collaboration with senior stakeholders, detailing the full project lifecycle.Facilitated discovery and planning workshops with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to define project goals and deliverables.Created and managed a detailed project schedule with the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO), breaking down phases, tasks, and dependencies.Maintained the Project Register to document stakeholders, risks, actions, issues, dependencies, change requests, escalations, decisions, assumptions, and lessons learned throughout the project.

Led the Assessed Effort Model Rebuild project, focused on forecasting resource allocation and aligning costs with funding strategies.Project Governance: Established and implemented project governance, including project team meetings, Focus Groups, and Steering Committee meetings.Stakeholder Collaboration: Drafted and aligned the operating framework with stakeholders, defining roles, responsibilities, and decision-making authority.Terms of Reference: Developed the Terms of Reference outlining the project’s purpose, objectives, and scope.Resource Modeling: Worked with a modeler to create a new resource model template, forecasting where resources would be allocated.SME Coordination: Collaborated with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to define activity categories for resource allocation.Financial Tracking: Partnered with finance teams to obtain details on non-resource-related expenditures, such as travel costs.FTE Forecasting: Worked with resource managers to confirm FTE positions and developed a 12-month resource forecast.Process Definition: Defined processes to ensure resource forecasts were periodically updated as part of business-as-usual (BAU) operations.

Wellington, Wellington Region, New Zealand

Led the planning and initiation of a large-scale global SD WAN deployment across 56 countries and 81 sites, serving multiple government agencies.Program Leadership: Spearheaded the WAN transformation project, managing cross-functional teams and coordinating efforts globally to ensure smooth execution and timely delivery.Global Coordination: Worked with teams across various time zones to align deployment schedules, ensuring adherence to strict security protocols required by government agencies.Stakeholder Management: Engaged with government clients, ensuring all technical specifications and compliance standards were met, while providing regular progress updates through detailed reports and presentations.Risk Mitigation: Identified potential risks and implemented mitigation strategies to prevent disruptions, ensuring seamless integration across all sites.Vendor Management: Managed procurement and worked closely with vendors to deliver required equipment and services to global locations, ensuring timely installation.Performance Tracking: Established a performance monitoring framework to ensure the network met key KPIs for speed, reliability, and security across all deployed sites.

Wellington, Wellington Region, New Zealand

Successfully took over and completed the delivery of a nationwide radio network deployment across over 100 rural and urban sites in New Zealand, previously managed by multiple project managers.Chaired project meetings and provided regular updates to the company board and clients through detailed reports and presentations.Developed and executed a comprehensive deployment plan for the radio network across multiple locations.Collaborated with architects to finalize designs for the most complex sites, completing the final 10% of the project.Coordinated with field engineers, Spark, Chorus, Downer, and other key partners to schedule and execute telco cutovers.Managed procurement, working closely with external vendors and internal stakeholders to deliver the required equipment for each site.Compiled and delivered a detailed breakdown of the network’s "As Builds" with external vendors and internal teams.

Wellington, Wellington Region, New Zealand

Led a science-based project aimed at reducing foodborne illness associated with chicken consumption across New Zealand.Collaborated with a team of doctors and animal product specialists to analyze the chicken production lifecycle, from farm to plate, identifying key areas for risk reduction.Established eight workstreams to drive process improvements and implement risk mitigation strategies, tracking progress through comprehensive reporting structures.Developed a project framework to manage scope, time, and resources effectively, ensuring accountability and visibility throughout the project.Set up a Project Governance Group (PGG) to provide strategic guidance and decision-making support on all project-related matters.

Wellington, Wellington Region, New Zealand

Senior Project Manager | NEC (June 2020 – March 2021)Project: IT Network Server Refresh for SparkLed the refresh of NEC’s Advanced Intelligent Network Server for Spark, managing key project milestones and resource allocation.Collaborated with technical leads to develop detailed project plans, tracking progress and payment milestones.Ensured effective resource management by coordinating with resource managers to secure the necessary skill sets for each project phase.Set up and managed project activities within SAP, enabling accurate time tracking and resource allocation.Produced comprehensive progress reports for internal and external stakeholders and chaired steering group meetings to keep the Senior Leadership Team informed of financials and milestones.Project: Business Continuity Plan & Crisis Management (Jan 2020 – March 2021)Developed a comprehensive Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and Crisis Management Plan (CMP) in response to COVID-19, ensuring NEC’s operational resilience.Identified and prioritized critical IT systems used in business-as-usual (BAU) activities, working closely with IT and subject matter experts (SMEs).Documented processes and system workarounds, creating a detailed BCP manual.Collaborated with leadership (IT, People and Culture, CFO) to define roles and responsibilities for crisis scenarios, with documentation hosted on the internal intranet for easy access.Senior Project Manager | NEC (Nov 2019 – Dec 2020)Project Governance SetupIntroduced and implemented a project governance framework, establishing monthly Project Steering Group (PSG) reports and meetings to improve visibility and accountability.Developed a structured project methodology, incorporating defined project phases and necessary artefacts to standardize processes in an environment lacking clear frameworks.Created a centralized document repository, training project managers and coordinators on effective project documentation and storage.

Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

Regenerate Magazine is a social enterprise dedicated to empowering people affected by homelessness in Wellington and across New Zealand. Our mission is to provide meaningful work, a legitimate source of income, and a platform for communication between the homeless community and the public.Key Objectives:Create purposeful work opportunities for those affected by homelessness and poverty.Offer a legitimate income stream through magazine sales.Provide a platform for homeless individuals to share their stories and work with the public.Since launching, Regenerate Magazine has provided employment opportunities to over 50 individuals, with some transitioning into full-time employment. With over 15,000 publications in circulation, our impact continues to grow.Key Responsibilities & Achievements:Established and registered Regenerate as a Limited company, and set up a charitable trust with legal guidance.Built relationships with writers, publicists, and media professionals to amplify the magazine’s message.Recruited and managed an editorial team, including sub-editors, designers, photographers, and illustrators.Trained and mentored sellers to ensure their confidence and success in designated locations.Developed and implemented policies compliant with Wellington City Council legislation.Managed volunteers across three key business areas, while collaborating with social welfare organizations and third-party partners.Received a Community Appreciation Award from the Wellington Residents Association for contributions to the local homeless community.

Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

Successfully managed multiple IT software projects concurrently in an agile environment.Built and led multiple teams, fostering strong working relationships to ensure project success.Developed detailed project plans with clearly defined deliverables and forecasted timelines.Accurately forecasted financial expenditure and tracked actuals to maintain budget alignment.Provided additional support to other project managers to ensure smooth project execution.

Oranga Tamariki is dedicated to supporting children in New Zealand whose well-being is at significant risk. The ministry also works with young people who have offended or are at risk of offending, ensuring they have the right environment and support to flourish.Conducted a comprehensive infrastructure survey of all urban and rural sites, detailing the number of employees, social workers, and children supported at each location.Introduced a communication network across previously siloed sites, enabling staff to share knowledge and lessons learned, significantly improving collaboration and service delivery.

Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

Collaborated on a $1.5 billion Business Transformation and IT refresh project, ensuring successful delivery across the organization. Developed and baselined a comprehensive project plan that captured all deliverables, sub-deliverables, and tasks, enabling efficient progress tracking and streamlined project execution.

Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

Led the development and implementation of a new website for the Department of Conservation, enabling New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage attractions to be easily booked online through a single, integrated platform. Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure a seamless user experience, increasing accessibility to DOC-managed features and improving service delivery.

Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

Worked as part of a team of Project Managers to relocate one of New Zealand’s largest data centers from HP Lane Street to Revera's state-of-the-art Wellington Data Centre, ensuring improved infrastructure with upgraded UPS, cooling systems, and increased storage capacity. Coordinated across multiple teams to manage the successful transition of critical systems, ensuring minimal disruption and enhanced operational efficiency for one of the country’s largest government departments.

Project Manager | Hewlett Packard (Now DXC Technology)February 2010 – September 2012Hewlett Packard (HP), now known as DXC Technology, was a global leader in IT hardware, software, and services, serving industries such as government, healthcare, and education.Key Projects:Project Manager | Contact Energy Limited, Programme Samba (Feb 2012 – Sept 2012)Led an IT Data Centre Relocation project, overseeing the migration and shift of critical systems.Project Manager | Contact Energy Limited, Programme Samba (Dec 2011 – Feb 2012)Managed the human resource stream of a business transition project, ensuring smooth employee integration.Programme Coordinator | Meridian Energy Limited (May 2011 – Nov 2011)Supported the implementation of Disaster Recovery (DR) and Business Continuity Management (BCM) processes following the 2010 Christchurch earthquake, ensuring operational resilience.Programme Coordinator | Inland Revenue Department (IRD), Enterprise Desktop Programme (Feb 2010 – May 2011)Coordinated a nationwide desktop refresh, transitioning the entire organization from a traditional desktop environment to a Citrix virtual machine (VM) platform.

Higher National Diploma, Communication And Media Studies

Ordinary National Diploma, Media